Could campaign funds help pay Kwame Kilpatrick's restitution?

Kwame Kilpatrick may be having a hard time paying his court-ordered restitution, but the Detroit Free Press says the disgraced ex-mayor could use campaign funds to help make his next payment -- if he hasn't spent the money already.

Kilpatrick is scheduled to make a $240,000 restitution payment on April 20, and he is behind on a $79,011 restitution payment that was due on Feb. 19. State corrections officials argue that Kilpatrick violated his parole by missing last month's payment, although supporters helped pay more than $40,000 toward the balance.

With another large restitution bill looming over Kilpatrick's head, the Freep says his campaign fund could be used as an asset to help make the payment. But it's unclear how much money is left in the fund. Kilpatrick had $215,384 in campaign funds at the end of 2008, but has not filed any updated returns since then, according to the paper.

The Detroit News reported last year that Kilpatrick used campaign money to help pay $980,000 in legal bills stemming from the perjury scandal that forced him out of office and put him on the hook for $1 million in restitution to Detroit. Campaign funds also were used for donations toward scholarships at Kilpatrick's alma mater, Cass Tech High School in Detroit, and his sister's charitable fund, according to the News.

A Wayne State University law professor told the Freep that any campaign fund spending in 2009 for Kilpatrick would have been legally "questionable" since he wasn't running for office.